Bi{hd 2{b O{HD 3 {B and Al{hd 2{b O{HD 3{B containing PbO-ZnO-B{HD 2{B O{HD 3 {B low temperature sealing glass

ABSTRACT

Sealing glass which may be used for sealing glass plates together at relatively low temperatures. The glass has a softening temperature of about 412*C and has a thermal coefficient of expansion (from room temperature to 300*C) of about 84 X 10 7 per *C. The glass consists substantially of the following constituents in the following proportions: Percent by weight PbO 66.0 B2O3 14.0 ZnO 10.5 SiO2 2.0 CuO 2.5 Bi2O3 1.5 Al2O3 3.

IJnited States Patent 1 Sherk et al.

[451 Mar. 25, 1975 1541 B120, AND A11 0, coNTAlNiNo' PBo-zN0-B,o LOW TEMPERATURE SEALING GLASS [75] Inventors: Thomas A. Sherk, West Hurley; Rao

R. Tummala, Wappingers Falls, both of NY.

[73] Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY.

[22] Filed: Nov. 19, 1973 [21] Appl. No.: 417,347

[52] US. Cl 106/47, 106/54, 106/53 [51] Int. Cl C03c 3/10, C03c 3/12, C03c 3/30 [58] Field of Search 106/47 R, 53

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2.931.142 4/1960 Veres 106/53 3.075.860 1/1963 .Veres 106/53 3.127278 3/1964 Francel et a1 106/53 3.291.586 12/1966 Chapman et a1 106/53 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 1.224,?05 3/1971 United Kingdom 106/53 1,082,710 6/1960 Germany 106/53 Primary E.taminerWinston A. Douglas Assistant Examiner-Mark Bell Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Edward S. Gershuny [57 ABSTRACT Percent by weight PbO 66.0

B 0, 14.0 ZnO 10. $10 2. CuO 2.

1 Claim, No Drawings 1 mo, AND A1 0, CONTAINING rtio-zrio-rigo; LOW TEMPERATURE SEQSILTNG GEASS INTRODUCTION This invention relates to sealing glass compositions. More particularly, the invention relates to glasses which have a relatively low softening temperature and have a thermal coefficient of expansion which makes them compatible with soda-lime-silica substrates.

When manufacturing gas panel display devices, one step in the manufacturing process involves the use of a sealing glass to join two prefabricated glass panels together in a fixed spacial relationship. In order to avoid the generation of conditions detrimental to the prefabricated panels, it is desirable that the sealing step be achieved at a relatively low temperature. It is also highly desirable that, as the sealed panels are cooled, both the sealing glass and the glass substrates of the panels undergo substantially the same amount of physical contraction. This is desirable because unequal amounts of contraction would introduce stresses into the sealed unit which could eventually cause cracking of the glass. I

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The scaling glass of this invention consists essentially of the following ingredients in the following proportions:

When the sealing glass of this invention is used in the process of manufacturing a gas display panel, the glass substrate of the prefabricated panels which are sealed together is typically a soda-lime-silica float glass having a thermal coefficient of expansion (TCE) of approximately 92 X per C to the set point of the sealing glass (approximately 335C). Therefore, the sealing glass should preferably have a TCE of approximately 9094 to its set point. This corresponds to a TCE of approximately 80-84 in the temperature range from room temperature (approximately 22C) to 300C.

These glasses have softening temperatures of about 412C and a TCE of about 84 (from room temperature to 300C). The primary advantages of this invention are that the glass can be used for sealing at relatively low temperatures and that the glass has a thermal coefficient of expansion that is compatible with the prefabricated panels. The glass also has a minimal tendency towards crystallation. I

DETAILED DESCRIPTION The glass described herein consists essentially of the following ingredients in the following proportions.

Per cent by weight PbO 66.0

Continued Per cent by weight B 0 14.0 ZnO 10.5 SiO 2.0 CuO 2.5 Bi O glass is preferably fired at about l,0 60C for when using a glass substrate which has a TCE equal to 89. (When thermal coefficients of expansion are given herein, they are expressed in units multiplied by l0 /C and refer to the temperature range from room temperature to 300C.) It is also of significance that, when using this sealing glass, the prefabricated panels can be sealed together at a temperature below 460C which is substantially below the crazing temperature of a magnesium oxide overcoat (485-505C) that results when using any of the dielectric glasses described in examples IlV of copending application Ser. No. 374,189 filed June 27, I973 for DIELECTRIC GLASS COM- POSITION. (For additional details of the process of manufacturing gas display panels, reference is made to copending application Ser. No. 214,348, filed Dec. 20, 1971, now abandoned for GAS PANEL FABRICA- TION by P. H. Haberland et al.) I

As compared with some sealing glasses known in the prior art, characteristics which particularly distinguish the glasses described above are: the relatively low amount oflead oxide (PbO); the relatively high amount of zinc oxide (ZnO); and the addition of relatively small but critically important amounts of bismuth oxide (Bi O and alumina (A1 0 The latter two ingredi:

ents are of particular importance with respect to achieving the low-expansion and low-softening properties ofthese sealing glasses. The alumina is also of great importance with respect to minimization of crystallization. Considering its intended use in the manufacture of gas display panels, probably the most important difference between the glass described herein and those described in copending application Ser. No. 384,314 filed July 31, 1973 is the inclusion of alumina. This difference is important primarily because the alumina helps to minimize crystallization in the glass.

Those skilled in the art will recognize that the proportions for each of the ingredients specified above can be varied to a limited degree (as, for example, by minor trace impurities in one or more ingredients) without losing the desirable characteristics of the glass. However, because each proportion is fairly critical, it is recommended that variations not exceed :0.8 percent for each ingredient which constitutes more than 10 percent of the glass, or $0.5 percent for each ingredient which constitutes less than 10 percent of the glass.

While the invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to a preferred embodiment thereof. it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and details may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A sealing glass composition having a thermal coeflicient of expansion (from room temperature to 300C) of about 84 X per C consisting essentially of the following ingredients in the following proportions:

Per cent by weight Lead oxide (PhO) 66.0 Boric oxide (B 0 14.0 Zinc oxide (ZnO) 10.5 Silicon oxide (S102) 2.0 Copper oxide (CuO) 2.5 Bismuth oxide (Bi o 1.5 Alumina (A1 0 3.5. 

1. A SEALING GLASS COMPOSITION HAVING A THERMAL COEFFICIENT OF EXPANSION (FROM ROOM TEMPERATURE TO 300*C) OF ABOUT 84 X TO**7 PER *C CONSISTING ESSENTIALLY OF THE FOLLOWING INGREDIENTS IN THE FOLLOWING PROPORTIONS: 